


A Love for all Seasons

by Susspencer



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Near Future, Not Canon Compliant, Reminiscing, Retirement, Scrapbooks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-27 19:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susspencer/pseuds/Susspencer
Summary: Aaron Hotchner has reached retirement age.  What will he be doing?  How will it affect his relationship with Spencer?  What do the seasons hold for their love?





	1. End of the night April 12, 2026

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Art for A Love For All Seasons](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708240) by [Dazeventura6](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazeventura6/pseuds/Dazeventura6). 



> A big thank you to my Artist Dazeventura6. She inspired this story with the title banner you see on this page, but then also volunteered to make the other banners. I think they are all beautiful. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks Dazeventura6
> 
> Link to all the art. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708240?fbclid=IwAR2MJuoYsu_YouIO8dWkmRrQFRJ4pCdvKaP_AGg4dLPARwj3v0dMN8kYJWM

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11605764@N03/45091376935/in/album-72157689814211804/)

Rbbcm - Intro

 

Aaron was putting the albums back on the shelves when Spencer came up behind him. He wrapped his long lanky arms around Aaron. He held him firmly but not in a crushing embrace. Aaron liked to feel embraced and loved but not squished, that was for Jack. Spencer peppered his neck with kisses, as he waited for Aaron to say something. Once Aaron’s hands were empty, he spoke.

“I thought Garcia would ask to see your baby pictures next. Once she gets into those scrapbooks.” He chuckled, as he wrapped his arms around Spencer’s.

The grey temples, with the salt peppering its way throughout the once pitch black hair, made Aaron look wise and dignified. The crows’ feet around his chocolate eyes were as deep as if he had spent years smiling. The team guessed that the years with Spencer must have taken away the scowl lines. Sixty-five and those were the only signs of aging, which made Aaron feel good, and Spencer enjoyed the benefits of that for all these years of marriage. 

“How are you doing? And if you say you are fine, I am going to squeeze until you yelp.” Spencer asked with a kiss to Aaron’s temple, as he turned him to face himself.

Aaron looked down at the floor for a moment, then he looked at Spencer again. He gave a small sigh, leaned back on his heels, and gave Spencer a kinda smile frown.

“To be honest, I have really mixed emotions. I feel like my life is ending, but on the other hand, I feel a relief like I made it. No one killed me. Kinda a ‘whoo hooo’ I made it to the other side, which kinda makes our job sound like a survival contest.” Aaron stopped, he wanted to say more but the words didn’t come.

Spencer leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. He looked up through his lashes at Aaron. He gave him that innocent smile, that had drawn Aaron to him all those years ago. 

“You’ve always had a way of just bringing what we do down to earth. What’s the expression, calling a spade a spade? I love how you do that. I know you feel like we are putting you out to pasture, but we’re not. We are honoring you with time to do something peaceful, without having to let your mind sink to the level of the worst of the worst. You deserve to get to think about better things, like what I’m gonna do to you tonight.” Spencer said, with a fire in his voice that made Aaron smile.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Aaron opened to let Spencer’s tongue in to meet his in a battle for dominance in the kiss. 

“Really? The party is barely over and you two are already at it? Gee Dads!” Jack complained.  
“I finished putting away the leftovers as you asked. Dishes are in the dishwasher. Anything else before I head to bed? You hormone raging parents?” Jack snickered.

He almost burst into laughter, but he held it in. He had been around his Papa and Father long enough to know how much the two men loved each other and how much they had been through together. Through that time, their love had grown. It was amazing to watch at Aaron’s age. He still loved to tease them about it. 

Aaron pulled back. “No, we’re good. I am so glad you could come.”  
Aaron put his left arm out, telling Jack to come over for a hug. The three men embraced for a while. Aaron rested his head on top of his son’s, while Spencer rubbed Jack’s back.

“Well, I better get to bed, since I head back tomorrow. Love you both.” Jack said and gave them a hug again.

“We better do the same, unless you want to be up all night,” Spencer said once Jack was out of earshot.

Aaron chuckled and headed for the bedroom.


	2. The retirement party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bureau throws Aaron, his retirement party. The day before the party before the team. April 12th, a day that will live as a memory of a good man's success.

Aaron was ready for bed. It had been the longest day of his life, it seemed. April 12, 2026, his last day at the BAU. There had been a retirement party at the Bureau. Congratulations from people Aaron had met once, or twice or never, from higher-ups, that Aaron still had to be polite to, for two hours, forty-two minutes, thirteen seconds, came the whisper in his ear. He smiled and shook another hand. Aaron turned smiled and thanked Spencer for keeping him sane. It seemed to be what Spencer had been doing for the last sixteen years plus.

Speeches were made about all the great things Aaron had done over his thirty-one years with the Bureau. A few just made his insides cringe. Cases they had lost men on, reminders of when Gideon left, and reminders of Unsubs that got under Aaron’s skin. He knew that these things were feathers in the Bureau’s cap, and his, but, well you understand. He thought to himself about the thirty-one years. He scanned the people, in search of his friends. Aaron found the table his team, the original BAU to him sat. They listened to all the praise that was being given, smiled at the stories, while anyone who could read expressions could see cringes in their eyes, brows, and lips. Aaron relaxed a bit, at least someone else understood the dark side. Just then it was his turn to speak. He stood gave a smile and walked to the podium. 

“Thank you, Ladies, Gentlemen, Agents, Analysts, Director, Congressmen, and the rest of the dignitaries here today. I am touched that you took time out of your busy day to acknowledge me. I know that I should think that I am worth it, after all these years, but I don’t. I spend a great deal of time thinking about the ones that we were too late for, or the victims that looked at us for an answer as to why, which we still don’t have all these years later. I do know that my team under the years of my leadership has done some amazing things. The reason they were able to, is not from my leadership, it is because they are amazing people. I would thank them all for making me a better leader and a better man.” Aaron stated as he gave a straight face to the crowd.

“There was a time, that I didn’t think I would make it to today, but here we are. So, let’s all celebrate, and enjoy.” His face lit up and he smiled. “Because I won’t be here tomorrow, or any day after that. I have finished with this portion of my life and it is time to move on. A new adventure starts now.”

The audience applauded. The team was a bit unsure, they hadn’t seen Aaron like this before, but he hadn’t retired before. They smiled, refilled their drinks, and raised a toast to him when he came to the table. He plopped in his seat. All the poise and gentlemanly mannerisms seemed to be gone. The man sitting at the table was done, not finished, done. Spencer noticed that Aaron’s shoulders slumped. It was as though finally the burdens could run off those strong broad shoulders. Aaron reached for his drink with a smile, as Garcia put a plate of food in front of him. He turned to catch her. He held her wrist, rubbed circles into it, and spoke,

“Penelope, I do believe that without you, I would have starved to death over these years, Plus where would my sanity be without your positive bubbly personality. Thank you for keeping me sane.”  
Penny smiled from ear to ear. “Eat bossman. You haven’t had anything all day, I bet.”

He nodded and replied, “Yes, my queen.”

He kissed her wrist. She giggled and returned to her seat, holding her wrist the entire way.

He picked up the fork and started to nibble. Person after Person stopped by to congratulate him or hand him a card or small gift. He placed them in the center of the table to take home and open later. Spencer would grab his thigh under the table every so often, in order to steady him. Especially when the person that came to speak to him was someone who had never helped him or the team while he was unit chief. Spencer knew there were a few people that Aaron would love this opportunity to tell what he thought of the political games that had been played. Spencer just kept him as grounded as he could. Toward the end of the party and the day, Rossi, in his wheelchair and all, wanted to give Aaron one last speech. Aaron was touched but with the strokes that Dave had had, he was afraid of his friend embarrassing himself. Dave insisted.

“Aawwon you arrre my friend.” He struggled, but everyone quietly waited at their BAU table, “You arrre my brother, fammmily, and I luvv you. Don’t waste yooouuur timmee, liive lov and don’t look back.” Dave lifted his glass as he spilled some drink.

Everyone lifted their glasses. “Live, love, and don’t look back.”

Dave took a sip with the help of his nurse. She placed his glass on the table and argued with him when he wanted more. 

“Dave that was awesome,” Aaron said as he moved to sit by his friend.  
“Will you be coming this evening to the party at our place?”

“If I can ditch the hag, I’m there.” Dave snickered

“He will be there for a little while but he will need to leave early and get some rest. Busy day and all.” The nurse said.

“I should’ve kept a gun or two,” Dave grumbled.

“No, you shouldn’t have. I would’ve shot you by now.” The nurse replied.

“Dang Dave she’s got your number.” Aaron chuckled. “Better watch out before you fall in love with her.”

Dave rolled his eyes. 

“If you’ll excuse us, Mr. Hotchner, we’ll see you later tonight.” The nurse said as she moved Rossi and pointed him towards the exit. 

“Sure, and thank you for taking such good care of my friend.”

She nodded and headed out. Spencer was gathering the cards together. Emily helped by taking time to get the gifts organized. JJ had found a box to try to fit them all in. As Aaron watched everyone, he felt old, so very old. It reminded him of Spencer’s birthday when they made him wear that silly hat and put trick candles on the cake. It may not have been all nice, but it was a team that cared about each other. Aaron smiled at the thought until the thought of the Tommy killer came to join it. That was the case they had to leave the party for, always a case, an interruption.


	3. Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go back to where it begun. It is always where Spring has sprung.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11605764@N03/45278788954/in/album-72157689814211804/)

 

The alarm went off on Spencer’s phone. Monday came too early that week. Spencer turned it off. He closed his eyes, took one last deep breath to smell his husband since that smell would have to last the entire day today. For the first time in sixteen years, really longer than that, Spencer didn’t even want to calculate it, he would be at the BAU without Aaron. He went to sit up, but Aaron didn’t let go. 

“You're supposed to be sleeping in, not stopping me from leaving,” Spencer said as he laid the halfway back down that he had gotten up.

“I know, but I don’t want you to go,” Aaron replied as he kissed Spencer’s back.

“Well, honestly, I don’t either but I’m not retired yet, so I have to. Besides you have to take Jack to the airport later. Now release me. The sooner you let me go, the sooner I return. So, Let go.”

“You know that isn’t true, but hurry back to me.” Aaron kissed Spencer’s back and released him.

Spencer dressed, made the coffee, and left a love note for Aaron. He was out the door and off to the BAU all before Aaron’s bladder woke him all the way. He took care of his bladder, put on a shirt, then padded to the kitchen. Jack stood there with his coffee cup at his mouth. He smiled at Aaron.

“Morning, Dad. Want a cup?”

Aaron nodded, his bed head moved more than his actual head. Aaron thought to himself that he must be a sight. Not that Jack hadn’t seen worse, but gee for Aaron Hotchner this was not normal. He took the cup from Jack with a small smile, then sat at the table. Jack sat with him.

“So, what hobby do you have planned to fill your time with? I can’t see you writing like Uncle Dave, or hunting either.”

“Me neither. I am planning on catching up my scrapbooks. I am years behind.” Aaron said with a smile. 

His thoughts drifted to the photos that he knew he had piled in boxes. He knew there was Jack’s high school graduation, wedding pictures, miscellaneous pictures of Spencer, the team, honeymoon pics, places that they had visited the day after a case when they had to wait for the jet. Jack had a smile to greet him, when he finally shook his head, and looked up. 

“Do you need to go supply shopping before my flight? I’m already packed, dad. We could spend time together before my flight.” Jack asked?

“Sure, I know I need a couple of scrapbooks, plus adhesives and stickers.”

After Aaron slipped on some jeans and a polo shirt, they headed to the craft store. The two men were a sight. They giggled over stickers and paper colors. Suggestions that Jack made intentionally to make his father laugh, followed by Aaron’s most stoic look before he cracked. The alarm on Jack’s phone went off as they were in line to pay. Aaron frowned. Jack slapped him on the back.

“As you know in the case of Reid vs Hotchner, the offspring must return to the place of higher education, or the offspring will be physically extricated there by his parental unit by his hair. As you know, I am fond of my hair. It looks a lot like my dad’s.” Jack stated, with a large grin. 

Aaron picked up his bag, placed his arm around his son, and walked him to the car. They headed to the airport. Jack was checked in. They said their goodbyes. They hugged tight. 

“Study well, but remember it is about your full life,” Aaron said.

“I know, I had great parents. Love you. Dad.” Jack said, then he headed off to the gate.

Aaron walked slowly back to his car. He realized he should have taken a picture of Jack before he left, but he comforted himself with the fact that there would be one from the party. Aaron realized that he had spent a great deal of his life with that expectation, that someone else would get it. With his team, he had never had to worry about it, because they always had his back and took care of whatever was needed. They weren’t there now were they? Every day from now on he was on his own with Spencer, when Spencer was in town. He would need to relearn how to do the things that they always covered for him. Plus what was he to do with all of his suits? 

He giggled to himself a bit. When he arrived back home, he took his new supplies to his office. He dropped them with the photo boxes. He went out to the kitchen to make some lunch. His phone rang as soon as he sat down to eat.

“Hey, there handsome! Did Jack get off okay?”

“Spencer! Yes, he did. Tossed him on the plane, he’s gone. Do you want to come over for a quickie? I’m all alone.” Aaron said, a wicked tone in his voice. 

“Aaron Hotchner! You are awful. You know I can’t.” Spencer said as he squirmed in his seat.

“Oh, that’s right, you’re stuck at work. Have to do what the boss says, keep to routines, work your hours. While I am sitting here with my finished lunch, wondering what to do next. I could take a nap, or maybe just strip naked and lay on the bed or couch.”

“Aaaron.’ Spencer’s voice dropped to a demanding whisper. 

“What Spencer I can barely hear you, is there a problem?” Aaron was dying. It was all he could do not to laugh out loud.

“You are a very bad man. Shoot, Emily is calling us to the team room. Talk to you later.” 

“Be safe, I love you. Sorry.” Aaron said sincerely.

They both hung up. Aaron wanted to throw his phone across the room. He didn’t want his first night of retirement to be spent alone, but it looked like Spencer might get a case. Aaron put his dishes away from lunch. He went out back since it was spring and sat in one of the lounge chairs. He stared up at the cloudy sky for a while, until he fell asleep. The afternoon became early evening and the temperature started to drop. It felt good, but it woke Aaron. He took a deep breath as he stretched. The smell and temperature reminded him of a Spring long ago. 

It was in the Spring that he first saw Spencer as a love interest. He went into his office, spread out his scrapbook supplies, pondered a moment and then he pulled out his pens for use only in his scrapbooks. He left about four inches at the top of the page. Aaron always used alphabet stickers to label the first page of an album. He would go back to that. He wrote “where we began, before we began, because we always were.” He skipped a few spaces in from the left side and added a rectangle of dark blue paper, about three by five inches. He carefully placed on top of that a picture that someone had taken of him and Spencer by the ambulance after Spencer had shot Philip Dowd. With the blue paper angled to to the left, the picture centered on it, the page took shape. Aaron took a dark green pen in hand, and sat a dark blue one next to him.  
To the right of the picture, Aaron wrote: Our Conversation.  
" You alright? Nice shot.” I said, proud of you. (He wrote in dark green.)  
“I was aiming for his leg.” You responded with a chuckle. (Aaron wrote in dark blue.)  
“I wouldn't have kept kicking, but I was afraid you didn't get my plans.”(He put in dark green.)  
“I got your plan the minute you moved the hostages out of my line of fire.” (Aaron continued in dark blue)  
“Well,I hope I didn't hurt you too badly.” I apologize. (He wrote in dark green.)  
“Hotch,I was a 12-year-old child prodigy in a las vegas public high school.  
You kick like a 9-year-old girl.”(Aaron recorded Spencer’s words in dark blue.)

“As far as I'm concerned,you passed your qualification.” That day was the first time, that I believed in you, more than just a brilliant mind. (Aaron wrote in dark green.)

Down and to the right, a rectangle of dark green paper was angled to the right, a picture of Spencer with his ear guards on, as he stood at the shooting stall at the Quantico shooting range, with Aaron behind him, safety goggles on the both of them. Aaron ran his fingers over the picture, after he adhered it to the page. 

“Oh, if I had known how you felt, I would’ve taken you there.” He said to himself.  
He picked his pens back up. A smile on his face as he wrote. “Now what did you do wrong?” I asked you, so sure of myself. Aaron wrote in the dark blue that meant they were his words. Then in the dark green pen which meant they were Spencer’s words, he wrote, “I didn’t follow through.” On the next line in dark blue he wrote, “I always secretly wished that was because I was distracting you. Maybe you were looking over your shoulder at me.” Aaron put his pens down. He reached into his sticker notebook. He pulled out one that looked like a bullseye target, a gun, a sight or scope symbol, the round circle with the four lines on each end. He put the sight sticker so that it circled Aaron’s face in the picture. He placed the gun on the next line where he would write. He placed the bullseye target to the right of the picture. In red from the barrel of the gun he wrote, “On swat,we broke shots down into 3 steps. One--front sight. Focus on the front sight,not on the target.  
After the shot,you come right back to the target.”   
“Front sight,trigger press follow through. You do those 3 things,you'll hit your target every time.”  
Aaron paused for a moment looked at the almost full page. He picked up his blue pen and wrote.

Gideon said you don’t have to carry to kill someone. You learned this lesson that day. You understood that Empathy was stronger than any weapon. I heard Gideon on the jet home. I wish I could’ve held you when it hit you, but I agree with what he said. Aaron picked up the black pen and wrote an indented quote, like this:

“This is gonna hurt you and when it does there's only 3 facts you need to know.  
You did what you had to do and a lot of good people are alive because of what you did.  
What's the third? I'm proud of you.”  
Followed in dark blue by me, too, I’m proud of you.

Aaron took the alphabet stickers and labelled the page Spring had sprung, love had begun.


	4. As things get Hot, must be a Summer Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things build in the relationship. Heat up as they say. Summer time hot hot hot, every day.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11605764@N03/45091376485/in/album-72157689814211804/)

Aaron spread out his photos on the right side of the desk. He found one of a train and of tents set up by the beach in Florida. He dug through for a couple of other Florida pics. He turned back to the album. Two blank pages lay there flat in front of him. The phone rang. 

“Hey, wanted to let you know we're in your favorite state. I'll call later when we know more about the case to give you an idea when I'll be home.”

“No problem. Just enjoy Florida. I know you love the temperature there or is it the humidity?”

They both chuckled as they said their goodbyes. Aaron went back to his pictures. There was a picture of the two of them outside the warehouse near Tallahassee. Another from a trip to South Florida and one from Sarasota. Aaron wrote under the stickers that read, Forever summer forever dread, Florida fun, Florida sun. “It’s always Florida hot, with you.”

The team had always cringed at cases in Florida for their unique and gruesome nature. Freaky Florida is what Garcia had labeled it. Aaron smiled at the thought. He put the train picture aside as that had been a Texas case. Equally, as hot but it didn't match the theme. 

Aaron found a sticker of a tattoo and placed it on the left. He placed a warm yellow block of paper on the right on the left page. Then he took a same size ocean blue square on the left side of the right page. He took a large palm tree and beach scene decorative paper across both pages, with palm trees in each corner. He added stickers of beach blankets. Once again green and blue pens were placed at the ready. 

“I think of craziness of the Mark Gregory case. The way he charmed all those women from Tampa and beyond. Yet, you were the one who charmed me.” Aaron wrote on the left page by the palm tree. Then on the right page in dark green ink on the blue square that sat there he wrote, “I wondered how a perfect team existed with the Carnardos. And if I would ever have something like that. Not someone who killed for me just loved me enough, too.”

He put the picture of Spencer and himself as they stood in the Miami Beach police station on the yellow paper. The edge showed around the top corner and down the left side. Both men looked gorgeous. Aaron smiled as he looked at it. Underneath Aaron wrote, “Steven may have been confused by what his dad had taught him about who he was, but this was the wake up call that I needed to remember love doesn't stick to one gender when it calls.” 

Aaron placed the tents picture on the right page, and added some skeleton stickers near it. “You’re interests in solving puzzles, and the clues we are left, amaze me every time. Your report with me on that Jacksonville beach as to your skeleton matching speeds. Just reminded me how much you can accomplish in 3 hours, (green pen) 2 hours, (blue pen) you have 1.” 

In the spot still open towards the middle right he wrote. “Headaches in Miami to catch an Unsub. A cannibal on the west coast who passed out recipes. A rapist in Sarasota, who found his soulmate killer, and you found them both through ellipses. The illustrated man in Tallahassee with his pregnant killing partner. Which we would've missed without your speed reading, I have needed you for so long. I am sure there are more cases, but let’s forget them from now on. Just remember Spencer and Aaron, in love every season.”


	5. Fall deeper for each other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you Fall deeper in love, it is nice and sweet to be together. But in the BAU, the only Fall you may get is into an Unsub's trap.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11605764@N03/45278789684/in/album-72157689814211804/)

As Aaron turned to the blank pages, he looked up at the dark sky. He wanted to continue but, he knew himself. He would stay up all night and not eat if he didn't stop here. He stood, walked out, closed the door behind him. 

He chuckled at himself for that. Jack had long since outgrown going into his office. It would be difficult to do from Columbia. Spencer was on a case. Old habits he thought, as he reached the kitchen. 

Aaron looked through the refrigerator. He sighed, pulled out a beer and the fixins for a sandwich, everything else required cooking. It seemed silly to cook just for himself. After he cleaned up, he took his dinner to the couch. “A sad future in front of me, if this is what most of my evenings will be,” Aaron said to himself. 

He finished his sandwich and took a pull on his beer, when the quote fairy whispered in his ear. It was funny how the quote fairy sounded like Spencer these days. The words of wisdom that often was placed in his head. “a sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ.” 

Aaron shook off the sadness that was surrounding him. He had learned from the Owen Savage case, that if you keep score, it is your soul that grows weary. He stood tossed his beer bottle in the recycling and washed his plate. After he changed into his sleep clothes, he returned to his office. The disorder on the side table of stickers, colored paper, and pictures made him laugh. Spencer would think that he had lost his mind.

Aaron took to the picture pile ravenously. It was as though he was in search of a certain photo. He set one to the side, then another couple. Before long there was a small stack. Next it was the stickers, paper, and templates. He took a few photos and cropped them into other shapes. One looked like a telephone. Aaron seemed to have a creative knack to him.

When then the pages were completed, it was a sight. Across the top, of the two pages, it read, when you FALL, it's the best season of all. Behind and around the words was paper covered in fall leaves. On the left side was a picture of Aaron and Spencer. Both in sweaters, a cool fall day from the look of it. Aaron with his normal stoic gaze fixed on Spencer who looked worried. The dark blue pen beside it read. “I couldn't believe that you fell for Maeve, when I was there not three feet away. You met her on the phone, when I lived with you night and day. The jealousy I had to fight, that day you came to me for help. I wanted to hold you in my arms to take away your pain.”

Evenly across on the other side was the picture cropped like a telephone. The receiver part had Spencer's head in the bottom speaker. His smile, his hazel eyes, the way his hair hung round his face. The picture was perfect. To the left of it and up a bit the script read left to right, in green ink, “Sometimes, it seems it should work that way. (his words after Owen Savage) I know things don't go the way we want because we don't see the whole. If we did we would've wanted differently, because now is so much better. (Spencer's wedding vows) I am glad that you are here now and now and now.”

Aaron wiped a tear from his eye as reread the page. He added some soccer and football stickers around the bottom. There was a picture of the two of them with Jack in his soccer uniform. Then across from that a picture of the team including Blake. She was a good friend to Spencer and encouraged him to get together with Aaron. 

Next to the picture of the three of them, Aaron wrote. “I know it’s painful when the person you identify with is the bad guy.” He sighed, “It makes you good at your job.” Aaron heard a whisper of you, too.” Aaron thought of the cases that had come close to the heart, Vincent Perotta and Mr. Abby with the EDF. There were probably others that he just didn’t recall right now. He found small stickers and spelled out empathy, underneath it all. 

He looked at the otherside at the blank space by the picture of the team. It only took a moment for his eyes to light up quick. He gathered the green pen, small letter stickers, and he searched and searched his piles. He stood, went to a closet, pulled out more scrapbooking supplies. He wasn’t quite a madman on a mission but he had a plan in mind. He wasn’t going to stop until he found the piece that fit right there on the page. When it was located, he returned with a smile to his seat. If he had been Spencer he would have criss crossed his legs and pulled himself close, but this was Aaron, so he pulled himself flush with the table. 

He added a sticker that looked like a blank chalkboard. It had a little teacher looking character on the right bottom corner. With a white pen, that looked like chalk on the board, he wrote a conversation that Blake and Spencer had. “Have you ever had that feeling that your future is somehow behind you?” S. “ All the time.” B  
“I did, too. But it isn't.” S. In little stickers below that and centered on the page, He added a quote. 

"We must be willing "to get rid of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.  
" Joseph Campbell.


	6. Winter stark and cold but hope holds on.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the weather turns cold, it is nice to know who is going to be there to keep you warm.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11605764@N03/45091375475/in/album-72157689814211804/)

 

Aaron turned the page to start winter. He looked at his watch it was eleven twenty-two. He knew he should probably stop, but there was nothing to wake him early, and his heart was in this. He flipped through the paper he had, as he looked for one with snow on it. He found one with barren trees, plus snow on the ground. He found another that had snow fall. Aaron ran his hand over the blank pages, as though he was asking them what to do. It had such an intimate look to it. Then he took his stickers and placed above the pages, My winter warmth, Spencer it is thee. 

He picked up his scissors and cut the paper. He trimmed and cut both pages. He attached the barren tree on the left page and the snow fall on the right. His side and Spencer’s side is was he actually thought. He found a picture of the two of them locked in a tight embrace. It was attached to the right hand page, left bottom corner. On the left hand page, bottom right hand corner, Aaron began to write. “Your favorite classic narcissist, holding you, oh so tight. After that night in Georgia. I never looked at you the same.”

Although this wasn’t a picture from Georgia, and Aaron was glad of that. There would never be another hug in his life, like that one Spencer had given him. I was full of thanks, full of relief, and full of trust in Aaron. A trust that Aaron never willingly betrayed. Every year at Super Bowl time, Aaron found himself thankful for Spencer. The leaves maybe dead, the ground hard and cold, the wind, cold and harsh, but a hug reminds him of a cemetery where the words “I knew you’d understand.” 

Left page, top right, just under the stickers, Aaron placed a picture of Emily in her dark wool coat. She had just finished a spin under the falling snow, when the picture was snapped. The smile on her face, along with the snowflakes in her hair and on her coat, made her look younger. It was a rare picture of her. On the the right page, on the right side of the picture, in green pen, Aaron wrote. “Good friends return to us, their smiles, and laughter, fall lightly and happily like the snow.” Aaron wished he had the right words for that picture. He still felt that he owed Spencer apologies for not telling him when Emily was alive. 

The middle finished Aaron sat back for a moment. There were so many things that he thought of with winter and Spencer. Fireplaces and snuggles. Christmases and Eggnog. Jack and Snowball fights. Cold toes and fingers from a Vegas boy. The frozen feeling that chills the bones that you got while you stalked unsubs. The laughs as you watched Rossi slip on the ice. There was an old picture of him with his dark pea coat. Aaron had his normal stoic unit chief pose. He added it to the left top side. Aaron reached down and slid a few pictures around until he found the one he wanted. Then he picked up one more, and begun to crop it. He almost looked like Spencer as he measured and cut. It had to be exact and precise. 

At the bottom left, under the tree, Aaron place his cropped picture of Spencer flat on the ground with Jack on top of him, snowballs next to them. Their faces red from cold and play. Their bodies bespeckled with snow. Above it in dark blue pen, the words were written. “Nothing warms my heart more, than to see my two loves at their happiest.” Aaron added a few hot cocoa stickers here and there on the page to brighten it up. 

Under the picture of Aaron, he struggled with what to write. He would go to start, shake his head, then put the pen down. He moved over to the right side. Carefully he placed a picture of Spencer and his mother on ice skates under the tree, bottom right. Diana held tight to Spencer and Spencer had one hand on the rail. The look of fear in both their eyes said it all, but the green ink above it made it clear. “Aaron Hotchner, stop with the picture and help us over here.” Aaron added a few snowflake stickers around the picture. It made it look happy and gay. Aaron knew Spencer had wonderful memories of that cold day.

Above in the smallish space that was left, Aaron found a picture of Spencer with his purple scarf and coat. There was never anything that made Spencer look sexier in Aaron’s eyes than this outfit. The blue pen knew what to write. Aaron barely had to touch the paper. “Purple to keep your precious neck warm, and highlight your eyes. Long enough to hide the hickeys, that those eyes asked for the night before.” 

Aaron went back and picked up the green pen. He started under the picture of him. “Stoic and strong, you have always been, but for me I get to see. The Aaron who wants, cries, and needs. My Aaron who needs me. Spencer”

With that Aaron closed the book and went to bed.


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home in each others arms, is the best Epilogue and where they belong.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11605764@N03/45091376635/in/album-72157689814211804/)

 

Aaron woke up the next morning, it was eleven twenty-three am. He snickered to himself about the closeness of the time to the time that he had thought about stopping last night. He sat up and stretched. The smell of coffee moved him along quickly, in his morning routine. The only thing different was the blue jeans, bare feet, and bare chest. He strode to the kitchen to prepare his coffee. Aaron had purchased a coffee maker with a timer for Spencer, a few Christmases ago. He was glad. It made mornings flow much easier. He leaned back on the kitchen island as he took as sip. The April sunlight dripped in. He was a portrait of relaxed sexiness. If Spencer were there, mmmm. 

Aaron went back to his office and opened the blinds to let the Spring sunlight in. He looked over what he had accomplished. He smiled that smile. The one that lights up his face and makes you want to just grab him, never let go, then kiss him silly. He looked at the mess he still had out. Aaron grimaced a bit, even though it was his office, and he could keep it how he wanted. Spencer would die to see it in this much disarray. He started to put away his things, but he saw some stickers he liked, then there was a piece of paper, and three pictures. He continued to clean up. Everything was neat. He looked at what he left out. He furled his brow in that unit chief thoughtful, I see something here look.

←--------->

Meanwhile on a landing strip in Quantico, “Dave? Have you ever had a case like that? You get there, the profile comes together in a few hours, and then you basically trip over the unsub?” Emily asked.

“I don’t recall, but if we did it certainly wouldn’t have been in Florida.” He chuckled back.

“Everyone finish your reports, then you can head home for the rest of the day and tomorrow.” Emily ordered, her voice tired.

Spencer smiled, he knew it wouldn’t take him long to finish.

←----------------->

Aaron ran his hand through his hair. He cut the paper. He placed part at the top of the page on the left. The other went at the bottom right corner. There were beautiful pink azaleas in bloom on the page. Next, he rounded the corners off of two pictures. He placed one in the bottom left hand corner, framed with a leaf green cardstock. The other he place diagonal from it with a sky blue cardstock frame. Aaron carefully centered a large sticker of a funnel between the two pictures on the diagonal. It was positioned perfectly between the two. Then above the funnel, Aaron added smaller stickers, that said things like E=mc2, a gun, a target, chemical flask, and many other things that represented the two men. At the right hand bottom of the page, Aaron attached a picture of the two men together. Spencer stood on the left. He wore a white shirt with tie, accented by a fine corduroy vest. His gun on his hip of his black jeans, down to his dress shoes. On the right, face towards Spencer stood Aaron. His normal perfectly pressed shirt, tie, and suit. He stood stoic, face hard, but there is just that hint of love and compassion. He could move at any moment and just kiss Spencer. 

Aaron leaned back from the page a moment. Spencer in the picture with the green frame, the funnel, then Aaron with the blue frame, tip of the funnel points to picture of the two of the. It looked great. Aaron put away the stickers, and paper. He picked up his pens. Aaron wrote a quote from his picture to the funnel, so that it looked as though it went in. "One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others." Lewis Carroll. Then he picked up the green pen and did the same from Spencer’s side. William Shakespeare once wrote, "Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind." Aaron took out a red pen. At the funnel tip, to the left of the picture of the two of them he wrote. "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Helen Keller. He put the pens away. 

His heart felt light and happy. He double checked that he had tidied up the room. Aaron picked up the scrapbook and took it to the living room with him. He sat it on the coffee table. He went into the kitchen to get another cup of coffee, when he heard a key in the door. He put his cup down hard, turned, and waited to see. He was surprised when Spencer walked in. Spencer about jumped out of his skin, to find Aaron right there at the door. 

“Whoa. Wasn’t expecting you.” Aaron said. He took a step back.

“Case about solved itself. Am home for today and tomorrow.” Spencer told him, as he put away his weapon.

Aaron took Spencer’s go bag to the laundry room, He set it on the washer to get to later. He grabbed a polo shirt from the dryer. He put it on as he went back out to the living room. Spencer had two cups of coffee in his hand. Aaron took his and walked to the couch. They sat down. Spencer reached down for the album. He looked at Aaron. Aaron nodded. Spencer flipped through the pages. With smiles, sighs, places where his breath caught, and where he had to put his coffee down before he dropped it. He asked Aaron questions, like where he got some of these pictures, and how long did it take him to do this. Spencer was just overwhelmed at the love and beauty. He closed the book, set it back on the table, and climbed into Aaron’s lap. After a kiss that smoldered and ignited much fire, Spencer asked Aaron.

“Is this what you plan to do with your retirement? Finish up our scrapbooks?”

“Well, I don’t know, but that was where I was inspired to start first. That way I can feel connected to you when you’re not here.” He answered soft and sweet.

Spencer ran his fingers through his hair, smiled, leaned in and kissed him again.

“Well I know how you can feel connected when I am here.” Spencer chuckled.

He took Aaron by the hand and lead him to the bedroom. He closed the door out of habit, pressed Aaron up against it and kissed him again.


End file.
